The Dean.—“If a person designs to poison another the use of a large quantity of arsenic, greatly exceeding what is necessary, is to be avoided?”
Witness.—“It is a great error. In some articles of food it is easy to administer a large quantity of arsenic, and in others it is difficult to do so. It is very rare for persons to take meals after arsenic has been administered; but there is a case of a girl who took arsenic at eleven A.M., and at two P.M. made a pretty good dinner. It was a French case, and the words as translated are, that she made a very good dinner, though it was observed she was uneasy previously. The author who notices that case notices it as a very extraordinary one. She died in thirteen or fourteen hours after the administration. It was a rapid case.”
By the Lord Advocate.—“The amount of matter vomited is sometimes very little; and sometimes very large doses have been thrown off by vomiting. There is one case in which half an ounce was taken and no vomiting ensued. I think chocolate and cocoa would be a vehicle in which a considerable dose might be given. Active exercise would hasten the effect of arsenic; a long walk would do so. Exercise accelerates the effects of all poisons except narcotic. That a man should take poison at the Bridge of Allan, come to Coatbridge, walk eight miles to Glasgow, and reach that in good health and spirits, I should think very unlikely. Cases of protraction for five hours have occurred in persons who had gone to sleep after taking it. From half an hour to an hour is the usual time between administration and the symptoms manifesting themselves. The administration of previous doses predisposes the system to the effects of poison, and makes its action more rapid and violent. If the individual had recovered entirely, this would not be so much the case; but if he still laboured under the derangement of the stomach, I should look for violent effects.”
On the fifth day Professor Christison was recalled, and gave the following evidence as to the use of arsenic as a cosmetic, its taste, and its supposed presence naturally in the bodies of human beings.
By the Lord Advocate.—“With regard to the use of arsenic as a cosmetic, do you think it possible to use it, by putting it in a basin of water and washing the face with it?”
Witness.—“It would be very unsafe indeed. I should expect it to produce inflammation, probably, of the eyes and nostrils, and perhaps of the mouth. It might get into the mouth, and it would be very difficult to keep it out of the eyes and nostrils; and if it once got in, as it is a rather insoluble solid, it would be difficult to wash it out. A preparation made from common arsenic is sometimes used as a depilatory. The old name is ‘Arasma Cacoran,’ because it is used by the Turks. It is essentially a sulphuret of arsenic and a sulphuret of lime. It is only used for removing hairs from the skin, and not for the complexion.”
By the Dean.—“The common arsenic of the shops, you say, is an insoluble solid.”
Witness.—“It is said in general terms to be so. It is sparingly soluble in cold water. It is not absolutely insoluble, however, in cold water. About the 500th part might be dissolved in cold water by violent agitation, and if the arsenic were to be boiled in the first instance, about a 32nd part would remain in cold water. Cold water is the worst of all things to hold arsenic in suspension. Only the fine parts of the powder would be held in suspension. The coarse arsenic sold in the shops would fall to the bottom.”[112]
The Dean.—“Suppose water were used to wash the face and hands without drawing up the arsenic from the bottom, you would not expect any serious consequences to result?”
Witness.—“I can only say, that I should not like to do it myself. I do not know absolutely what would follow; but, on account of the risk, any person who would do so would do a very imprudent thing.”